Chapter 2

Research Problem
Formulation

1
 Outline
• Introduction
• Research Topic Selection
• Research Questions Specification
• Steps in Problem Formulation
• Problem Statement Evaluation
• Summary

2
 Introduction
• In research process, the first and foremost
step selecting and properly defining a research
problem.
• A researcher must find the problem and
formulate it so that it becomes susceptible to
research.
• Like a medical doctor, a researcher must
examine all the symptoms concerning a
problem before he can diagnose correctly.

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 Introduction ….Cont’d
• To define a problem correctly, a researcher
must know: what a problem is?
• A research problem, in general, refers to some
difficulty which a researcher experiences in
the context of either a theoretical or practical
situation and wants to obtain a solution for
the same.
• It is a cornerstone of any research process
• Poor definition of a research problem will lead
to poor conclusion
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• Research Topic Selection

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 Research Topic Selection
• Research topic must clearly show the
area of investigation in succinct manner
• Interesting – keeps the researcher
interested in it throughout the research
process
• Researchable – can be investigated
through the collection and analysis of
data
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• Significant – contributes to the improvement
and understanding of educational theory and
practice
• Manageable – fits the level of researcher’s
level of research skills, needed resources, and
time restrictions
• Ethical – does not embarrass or harm
participants

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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• It is not advisable to select the
following topics:
1. Common/over-used topics
2. Topics related to religion/controversy
3. General/ broad topics
4. Topics that are Too Narrow
5. Controversial Politics related topics
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• Common/over-used topics
• A number of research areas are very common
and have been researched several times by
numerous other students.
• Most importantly, try to be original. You can
pick an over-used topic but you can place it in
another context or sector.

•For example, if internet banking in Ethiopia has

been well-researched, you may consider a topic
on internet banking among rural banks in
Ethiopia.
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• Topics related to religion, politics/controversy
• Controversies have the propensity to arouse
emotions in people, usually because the
surrounding issues are highly subjective.
• Select this topic – if required by program of
study.
• Most importantly – you want to make sure
you can complete the research on time and
with relevant and appropriate data!

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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• General/Too broad topics
• Some topics are too broad and general in
scope, and thus should be avoided.
• A research on service marketing is too
broad, however, service marketing in the
insurance industry may be more
appropriate.

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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
Too narrow topics
• Picking a topic that is too narrow should be avoided,
because it will be near impossible to find enough
information to conduct the research.
• For example, consider the research topic ‘Why John
broke up with Sarah’. This topic are too narrow and
focused on a single event.

• if this topic is changed to: ‘Determinants of break-ups

in relationships among undergraduate students’ – the
topic will become more researchable.
• What are the variables that influence a
research topic selection?
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
You
• the researcher values, belief, interests, relevance,
and personal experiences can influence the choice
of a research topic
Supervisor
• Find out the research interests of the potential
supervisors; have a discussion with them; read their
publications
Data Sources
• researchers are sometimes restricted to particular
topics because of access to or lack of access to data
in the specific field of study or time availability
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
Current trends
• researchers can select a topic based on how important
a particular issue is perceived to be to society at that
point in time
Sponsor
• researchers can also restricted by the sponsor or
funding agency. Most funding agencies have specific
topics of interests which are based on their goals and
objectives.
Research Gaps
• Discrepancies in existing research literature which need
to be addressed or areas of study where there are
reasonable gaps in the existing literature. The potential
contribution to literature lies in the research gap.
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 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• The good research topic must:
1. Be original
2. Be of interest to both the researcher and the
supervisor
3. Be timely and relevant
4. It must make a contribution to existing
knowledge or respond to a research gap
5. Be specific and distinct, not too broad
6. Incorporate the main purpose of the research
7. Be clever, captivating and unforgettable; and
8. The research questions that flow from it must be
possible to address through a research design. 15
 Research Topic Selection...Cont’d
• 6 Steps to Creating a Title for Research
1. Identify broad topic and academic discipline
2. Determine the scope
3. Conduct Preliminary Literature Review-(in
the chapter 3)
4. Formulate Research Problem
5. Determine Research Purpose, Objectives and
Questions
6. Revisit your Topic to create a Title which fits
your purpose and questions
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 Exercise 1
• Identify two possible research topics for
individual project (Research Proposal)
• Evaluate them using the criteria for title
selection
• Submit the title with other components of
your proposal for your proposal title
• Topic submission date: Saturday, 4 March 2017

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• Research Problem Formulation

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• What is research Problem?

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 Research Problem
Important quotes
– “The formulation of the problem is
often more essential than its solution”
Albert Einstein
– Since research problem is the cornerstone
of a research we need to identify
• What is a Research Problem?
• What is not a research Problem?
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 Research Problem Formulation...
• A Research problem is the focal point of
every research activity
• A research problem refers to some
difficulty which a researcher experiences
in the context of either a theoretical or
practical situation and wants to obtain a
solution/explanation for the same (Kotari
1990:30).

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 Research Problem Formulation...
• Research problem is a situation in
need of
– a solution, improvement, or alteration; or
– a discrepancy between the way things are
and the way they ought to be.
– Research Problem: A situation or
circumstance that requires a solution to be
described, explained, or predicted.
– It is an unsatisfactory situation that wants
you to confront.
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 Research Problem Formulation...
• What is not a research problem?
1. Do not look at a problem whose sole purpose
is to compare two sets of data.
2. Finding a coefficient of correlation to show
a relationship between two sets of data is not
acceptable as a problem for research
3. A problem that leads to a question that can be
answered with “yes” or “no” is not suitable
for formal, scholarly research.
4. Do not use a problem in research as a ruse
for achieving self-enlightenment.
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• Steps in the formulation of a research problem

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Steps in the formulation of a research
problem
1. Identify a broad field or subject area of
interest to you.
2. Dissect the broad area into subareas.
3. Select what is of most interest to you.
4. Raise research questions.
5. Formulate objectives
6. Assess your objectives
7. Double-check

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 Step 1: Identify a broad field or subject
area of interest to you.

• Ex: If you are studying marketing you might be

interested in researching consumer behavior
(customer satisfaction).

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Step 2: Dissect the broad area into subareas.

1- Profile of satisfied customers

2- Factors for customers satisfaction
3- The effect of customer satisfaction on
consumer related outcomes
4- Measurement of customer
satisfaction

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 Step 3: Select what is of most interest to you.

• It is neither advisable nor feasible to

study all subareas.
• Go through your list and delete all
those subareas in which you are not
very interested.
• ➔ select: Causes of customers
satisfaction
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 Step 4: Raise research questions

1- What is the effect of customer expectation

on customer satisfaction?
2- What is the effect of service quality on
customer satisfaction?
3- What is the effect of word of mouth
communication on customer satisfaction?

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 Step 5: Formulate objectives

• Your objectives grow out of your research

questions.
• The main difference between objectives and
research questions is the way in which they are
written.
• Research questions are obviously that—
questions.

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 Step 5: Formulate objectives

• Objectives transform these questions into

behavioral aims by using action-oriented
words such as 'to find out', 'to determine', 'to
ascertain' and 'to examine‘, ‘to measure’, ‘to
explore’.

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 Some examples…
• To describe the types of incentives provides by five star hotels in
Colombo to their employees.

• To find out the opinion of the employees about the medical

facilities provided by five star hotels in Colombo.

• To ascertain the impact of training on employee retention.

• To compare the effectiveness of different loyalty programmes on

repeat clientele.

• To ascertain if an increase in working hours will increase the

incidence of drug abuse.

• To demonstrate that the provision of company accommodation to

employees in hotels will reduce staff turnover. 32
 Step 5: Formulate objectives

Example:
1- To determine the effect of customer expectation
on customer satisfaction
2- To find out the effect of service quality on
customer satisfaction
3- To identify how word of mouth communication
impact on customer satisfaction

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 Paraphrasing research questions as research
objectives
Research Question Research Objective

Why have organizations To identify organization’s

introduced early retirement ? objectives for introducing
retirement schemes.

What are the consequences To describe the consequences of

of early retirement schemes ? Early recruitment for employees.

To explore the effects of early

retirement for the organization.

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 Step 6: Assess your objectives

• Examine your objectives to ascertain

the feasibility of achieving them in
the light of
–Time,
–Resources (financial and human) and
–Technical expertise at your disposal.

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 Step 7: Double-check
• Double check the formulated research
problem in terms of:
1. that you are really interested in the study
2. that you agree with the objectives
3. that you have adequate resources
4. that you have the technical expertise to
undertake the study

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 • Consumer behavior
• Customer satisfaction
1- Identify

• 1- Profile of satisfied customers

• 2- Antecedents of customers satisfaction
• 3- The effect of customer satisfaction on consumer related outcomes
2- Dissect • 4- Measurement of customer satisfaction

• Causes of customers satisfaction

3- Select

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 • 1- what is the effect of customer expectation on customer
satisfaction?
• 2- What is the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction?
• 3- what is the effect of word of mouth communication on customer
4- Raise research satisfaction?
questions

• 1- To determine the effect of customer expectation on customer

satisfaction
• 2- To find out the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction
• 3- To identify how word of mouth communication impact on
5- formulate customer satisfaction
objectives

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 • Assess your objectives in the light of:
• 1 work involved
• 2 time available to you
• 3 financial resources available
6- Make sure • 4 your technical expertise in the area

• 1 that you are really interested in the study

• 2 that you agree with the objectives
• 3 that you have adequate resources
7- Double- • 4 that you have the technical expertise to undertake
check the study

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• Evaluating Research Problem

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 Evaluating Research Problem
• Was the problem statement introduced
promptly?
• Is the problem stated clearly and
unambiguously?
• Does the problem statement specify the
nature of the population being studied?

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 Evaluating research problem, Cont’d
• Has the problem been substantiated with
adequate experiential and scientific
background material?
• Has the significance of the problem been
identified?
• Have pragmatic issues, such as feasibility,
been addressed?
• Have the purpose, aims, or goals of the study
been identified?
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 Evaluating research problem .. Cont’d
• Finalizing a research problem
• Significance
• Researchability
– Nature of the problem
– Ethical considerations
• Feasibility
– Time
– Funding for the study
– Researcher expertise
– Availability of advisors (Theses/Dissertation)
– Availability of participants
– Availability of facility and equipment

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 Summary
• “The formulation of the problem
is often more essential than its
solution” Albert Einstein

• A researcher must find the problem

and formulate it so that it becomes
susceptible to research.
44
 Summary….Cont’d
• It is a cornerstone of any research
process
• As a beginner researcher you have to
understand how to define a research
problem which is a corner stone of a
research
• Poor definition of a research
problem will lead to poor conclusion
45
 Summary….Cont’d
• Introduction
• Research Topic Selection
• Research Questions Specification
• Steps in Problem Formulation
• Problem Statement Evaluation

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 Exercise 2
• Formulation of research problem is a
cornerstone of a research process. In
light of your topic you have selected
above
• Formulate your research problem and
evaluate the appropriateness of
research problem.
• Deadline, Saturday 4 March 2017
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•The End Chapter 2

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